Simple One Gen 1.5 first ride review: have the few updates made it the new benchmark?

When the wraps came off the Simple One electric scooter in 2021, its sharp styling and class-leading specs caught my fancy, and I’ve wanted to ride it ever since. In 2022, Karan got astride it and returned with mixed views. While it had a lot to offer, there was also some polishing to be done mainly in terms of fit, finish and the features that it lacked. Seek to 2025, and Simple claims the new One Gen 1.5 is now ready to take on rivals, with a few much-needed updates to the build quality and the features that it lacked. Simple has also given the One a slightly bigger battery and that coupled with a few software updates gives it an IDC-certified 248km range on a single charge. The most on any electric scooter on sale in India, today. I got astride it to see if it's a true benchmark (read Ather 450) beater.

Simple One Gen 1.5 styling and features

One of the reasons why the Simple One grabbed my attention was its styling and with no changes on the design front, even four years down the line, the One still looks incredible. The styling is sharp and futuristic. It's adorned with many angular elements–a trapezoidal headlight, a pointy rear with a split-LED tail light, a grab handle which won't look alien on the Batpod, and also many cuts and creases all over the bodywork. This is a scooter that will appeal to many, especially the younger bunch, because I don't think it'll go out of style anytime soon.

Overall fit and finish has drastically improved, with consistent panel gaps and solid bodywork. It doesn't rattle and feels well-built. Apart from the plastic around the cluster and the flimsy charging port cover, the overall material quality is very good too.

The One gets a 7-inch TFT touchscreen that is responsive and easy to read in sunlight. It is intuitive, easy to use and connects to the Simple app in no time. The app enables Bluetooth connectivity which makes it possible for you to attend calls and listen to music on the go. The screen gets a built-in 4G Jio sim, supports over-the-air updates and has navigation by MapMy India which works really well.

The scooter has excellent, large, rear-view mirrors which provide great visibility, and the 30-litre boot that accommodates a full-face helmet—both get a big thumbs up from me.

Simple One Gen 1.5 motor and battery

The One gets an 11.3bhp PMSM mid-mounted motor which churns out 72Nm of peak torque. It has four ride modes—Eco, Ride, Dash, and Sonic. As expected, Eco is the most laid-back, with slow acceleration; in fact, it feels sluggish with a pillion. Ride is suitable for city use, Dash enables slightly more oomph—good for quick overtakes—and Sonic feels properly quick. Throttle is well calibrated and has a linear response in all four modes.

Power comes from two batteries—a 3.7kWh floorboard unit and a 1.3kWh portable pack in the boot. Now 0.3kWh larger, this setup boasts an IDC-claimed 248km range. I rode the One for about 50km, with the throttle wide open for 20km on the highway, and it had 71 per cent—133km in Eco and 74km in Sonic mode—range left by end of day. Pretty respectable. Riders with a light left hand will easily be able to eke out 170-180km on one full top-up. And that's very impressive, because it offers about 30-40 per cent more real world range than any other electric scooter in its class.

Simple One Gen 1.5 ergonomics, ride and handling

The One also scores good marks on the ergonomics front. The rider’s triangle is comfortable, and riders up to 6ft tall will have ample room up front. It’s only during tight U-turns that they may find their knees touching the handlebar.

The One features a telescopic fork at the front and a monoshock at the rear, delivering an excellent balance of comfort and dynamics. Ride quality is superb, further enhanced by a soft and spacious seat.

At 136kg, the One is one of the heavier scooters on the market, and its weight is noticeable at low speeds. As a result, it isn't as agile for filtering through traffic as other lighter e-scooters. When you're in the mood for a spirited ride though, its bespoke TVS EuroGrip tyres provide excellent grip, urging you to push it really hard in the corners, but when you do so the sides of its belly still scrape and that's one area which needs further improvement by virtue of a reprofiled bodywork which will aid higher lean angles. However, it has good highway manners.

Braking is handled by a three-pot Bybre calliper gripping a 200mm disc at the front and a single-piston Bybre calliper with a 190mm disc at the rear. This setup includes CBS and performs well, offering a strong initial bite and sufficient feedback to smoothly modulate the lever.

What I sorely missed, though, was regen. Simple has worked on providing the One Gen 1.5 with a three-stage regen system, but unfortunately, it wasn’t functional on my test scooter. However, it’s worth noting that Simple states the regen won’t be user-configurable but will instead auto-adjust based on the remaining range—something which I'm very eager to test next.

Simple One Gen 1.5 verdict, price and rivals

Today, the Simple One is a significant improvement over its predecessor from a couple of years ago. It boasts better build quality, more features, and a class-leading range. However, there is still room for refinement, and the brand aims to address these minor issues with the upcoming One 2.0, set to launch “soon.”

With its price unchanged at ₹1.66 lakh (ex-showroom), it competes with the top-end models of the Ather 450X, TVS iQube, and Bajaj Chetak, now standing as a worthy rival.

Simple also plans to expand to over 400 dealers and service centres in 2025, which should make the One a more compelling purchase. As it stands today, it is a highly capable electric scooter and among the best to buy. However, I would still wait for the update and Simple’s expanded network.